dailykos.com

Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced on Wednesday evening that he would not join the Democratic presidential primary, explaining that he feels duty-bound to help flip his state’s closely divided—but Republican-held—legislature this fall.

McAuliffe noted that Virginia has “had a lot of problems” since February, when twin scandals engulfed Gov. Ralph Northam and Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. Ordinarily, a party’s top statewide officials would be busy raising money to support their legislative candidates, but as this infographic vividly shows, Northam and Fairfax have been rendered impotent pariahs. Northam in fact has only raised $2,500 since his blackface debacle unfolded, something McAuliffe specifically cited in an interview with the New York Times.

McAuliffe is also setting an example other presidential hopefuls (would-be and actual) should follow. This week, Beto O’Rourke campaigned in Virginia on behalf of Democrats running for the legislature, saying, “We want to do everything we can to help you by bringing attention and focus, within the commonwealth and from without, on the importance of these next elections.”